Pastor Ken Reporting – August 3, 2018

Pastor Ken Reporting – August 3, 2018

I have rarely finished a series like we had last week and looked forward to the next one but that is the case this time. Many of you have told me you feel the same way. For those of you who are interested in the numbers from our series, our average attendance for all 8 services was 402. Our lowest attended service was 300 and our highest was 626. We had a total of 209 visitors with an average visitor attendance per meeting of 56. We have more than 16 people express interest in further Bible studies with the goal of baptism. I am very pleased that more than $6500 was raised to help local charities. We are very grateful to Southern Adventist University, the Southern Union, and the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference for funding the lion’s share of the expenses of our series.

I am excited that the baptisms will continue. As an act of faith we are filling the baptismal tank every week whether a baptism is scheduled or not until we come to a Sabbath where there is no baptism. This Sabbath, Pastor Chelsea will be busy. She is preaching, doing a baby dedication and doing a baptism. I will not be at church as I am headed out to Washington State to baptize my niece, Kari, and will return early next week.

ONE BIG THING

(If you don’t read anything else, read this.)

I have been given exciting news. Madison Campus Elementary (MCE) School is receiving a lot of interest not only from our church members but also from our community. This is exciting because MCE and Madison Academy are excellent at connecting students and families to Jesus. I was told that the number of students seeking financial aid is likely to be substantially higher than last year. Join me in giving generously to the “Worthy Student Fund” so that we can honestly say that we do not turn away for financial reasons any student who desires a Seventh-day Adventist education. You may place donations in your tithe envelope and mark them for the Worthy Student Fund, or give online at www.madisoncampus.org, or give your contribution directly to MCE.

If you have kids from PreK to 12th grade come join the Madison Trailblazer Club for Vespers and a fun Builder Themed Family Night/Ice Cream Social in the Schlisner Fellowship Hall August 4, 6:30-8:30 pm. Club Registration will be available for those interested.

YOUTH VESPERS

All youth and their families are invited to vespers this Friday, August 3. Ryan and Taleah Peters are hosting at their home. For the address please email Pastor Chelsea. The vespers starts at 6:30 pm and a light supper will be provided. The youth will make their own dessert, which will be ice cream beads similar to Dippin’ Dots!

NAOMI FELLOWSHIP

Naomi’s fellowship will meet August 26 at 2 p.m. in the downstairs fellowship hall.

KIDS IN TUNE

Join us for a year of song and service! Performances are once a month and will include special places like Centennial Park, Opry Mills, Nashville Sounds, and Dollywood! Registration and first practice is August 25 at 2:30 p.m.

CARE MINISTRY

To those who have been blessed by the CARE Ministry and would like to give back by joining the card ministry, please contact or text Glendyle Levinskas at 865-306-7455 “Loving people through written words of encouragement”

CHILDREN’S CHAPEL MUSIC

Our Children’s Chapel Music Program needs Kid Musicians, Singers, and Adult group leaders. This is an amazing program that is very important to our Children’s Ministry Program and one that we want to keep. If you and your child are interested in being added to our rotation, please call or text Kimberly King at 615-483-2567.

CHILD CARE NEEDED

Celebrate Recovery needs additional folks who could help provide child care on Monday evenings. We have folks attending who need to bring their children with them, and the child care you can provide would go a long way toward their road to recovery. Even if you can only help in this area one week a month, you would be making a huge impact in the lives of the children as well as the CR attendee. Please contact Dan Davis, 615-202-4839 for more details.

YOUNG ADULTS

If you’re a young adult, please remember to follow us on FB at Compass (Madison Young Adults).

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The 403 Center needs volunteers for any day Monday thru Thursday from 10 am to 12:30 pm or anyone that can work sporadically if you call ahead. Orientation is every Tuesday at 9:15 am. Call Karen Baker for information at 615-516-8631.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE

Join us in reading through the Bible together as a family. Even if you haven’t done the readings so far, it would be great to have you start now. I think there is a real blessing in reading the Bible together. Hard copies of the Bible reading plans can be found at the kiosks in our lobbies. Here is a link to the online Bible reading plan for August. Let’s Read the Bible Together – August

It was a great honor to perform the wedding for Colton and Makayla Eldred on Sunday. What a great couple! Both worked for me at Indian Creek Camp for several summers and Colton’s family are long time members at Madison Campus.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

“In friendship…we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years’ difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another…the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting–any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” can truly say to every group of Christian friends, “Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another.” The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others.”